Darien

“Now, now, this isn’t the way to treat someone who has been stalking you,” he said with a wry smile.

His touch felt like it charred her skin and she hastily removed her hand from his grasp before she melted completely. “This is how one would treat a stalker. Is this what you were doing again this time?” She now folded her arms and looked at him squarely in the eyes. “Are you really watching me? You are always in my way. Except of course for this morning. I got a chance to jog in peace.”

He chuckled. “Oh, you missed me.”

“I didn’t s-say that,” she stuttered. “It was merely an observation and something that I appreciated. I would also appreciate it further if you aren’t around me as much. You seem to strategically place yourself where I will be and I am not sure how you even do that.”

He unfolded his arms and walked towards her so that his breath ruffled the tiny hairs on her forehead. “I was waiting for you,” he said rather seductively. “I tend to make it my duty to always be aware of what the woman who is going to be in my life is doing.”

She gulped. “I am not the woman in your life,” she said timidly.

“Not yet, but you will be,” he said arrogantly.

She backed off and looked up at him with eyes blazing. “Are you that arrogant? To come and insinuate such things?”

“Not arrogance. Confidence. I see what I want, what I need, and I intend to have it.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but this commodity is not for sale, rent or lease. You can try the other properties available.”

“Okay,” he said. “If you really want me to, I will leave. But that is if you really want me to,” he said daring her to say no.

Rose was as arrogant as they came, and stubborn too. It didn’t matter how she felt in the moment, she was not going to give in to him. “I want you to leave me alone,” she said, looking him deeply in the eyes.

He smiled and walked back to the car. “As the lady wishes,” he said. He got in and drove off and it was in that instant that Rose started to breathe again. She really didn’t want him to go, but she didn’t know this man, and she didn’t like what he was doing to her mind and body already. She gripped the box and hastened to her apartment. She struggled to get the door opened, and when she did, she almost lost her dinner. It was about to fall when another strong arm reached around her and caught it. She spun around, wondering who had come upon her so stealthily she didn’t even sense it.

“I thought I told you to stay away,” she said, taking the box from him. He infuriated her in ways she did not understand.

“You didn’t mean it,” he said as he brought his cold lips down upon hers. She was startled at first and tried to push him away, but now she got a heady feeling and all she wanted to do was be kissed by him. He kept his lips on hers as she stepped back further into the house. He used his foot to kick the door shut and then grabbed her around the middle.

She flew from the sofa and went to the bathroom. He wasn’t there washing up.